Women in Equestrian History

Winning a Man’s Game

Before setting her sights on vet school, Dr. M. Phyllis Lose became the third woman in the United States to hold a horse trainer’s license at the age of 19. This was taboo at the time because not many women held horse trainer licenses. In addition to exercising and breezing racehorses, Dr. Lose rode briefly on the show jumping circuit. She claimed a win in the coveted Open Jumper Class at the 1952 Devon Horse Show.

In the early 1950s, Dr. Lose decided she wanted to become a large animal veterinarian. She studied hard and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania veterinary school in 1957. Dr. Lose was one of only two women in her graduating class of 50 students. When she first started practicing equine medicine, Dr. Lose was told that equine vets “were on their way out” (Vet Practice) and that veterinary medicine was a man’s game, not a woman’s. 

However, that statement did little to deter her. Dr. Lose built two equine surgical hospitals in Pennsylvania, making her the first woman vet to do so. She specialized in equine orthopedics, soft tissue injuries, horse ulcers, and colics. Dr. Lose developed a “procedure that transects the check ligament sheath. This released the tendon and resulted in nearly 100 percent success in every club-footed horse she tried it on” (Vet Practice). None of Dr. Lose’s surgical patients ever experienced a post-op infection. This would go on as her greatest accomplishment because not many veterinarians can lay claim to the same feat.

Unfortunately, both of Dr. Lose’s equine hospitals have since closed. Dr. Lose moved to Florida in 2000, where she continued to work as a track veterinarian for many years. On September 30th, 2019, Dr. Lose sadly passed away. But her contributions to the veterinary world live on in her mentees and four books. Their titles are: No Job for a Lady, Blessed are the Broodmares, Blessed are the Foals, and Keep Your Horse Healthy.

A New PATHfinder

When Octavia Brown saw an ad in The Chronicle of the Horse looking for people with experience in riding for the handicapped, she immediately answered it. Because of her swift action, Brown became one of the first women to serve on the NARHA board in 1969. Known as one of the pioneers of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA known today as PATH Intl.). Shortly after in 1972, Brown founded the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riders Club (SHHRC) in Oldwick, NJ. It was one of the first handicapped riding clubs in the United States and initially consisted of three horses and six riders. The program blossomed and grew in size quite quickly. Once this occurred, the directors realized it was time to purchase their own farm.

In 1994, SHRRC purchased a twelve-acre farm in Oldwick and officially opened the doors of the program’s barn in 2001. Nowadays it is now known as Mane Stream Handicapped Riding Center. Students “have access to diversified equine programs. These include adaptive horsemanship, a day camp for all abilities, and various therapy services. Those are as follows: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language therapy, counseling services, and school and vocational programs” (Mane Stream).

Along with several other accolades, Brown is a certified PATH Intl. Master Instructor. She helped co-found Health and Recreation through Horses of New Jersey in 1980. In addition, Brown founded the therapeutic riding program at Centenary University in Hackettstown, NJ, and is still involved to this day. She received several awards over her decades-long career. These include the PATH Intl. James Brady Professional Achievement Award and the Directors’ Award, and the 1982 NJ Horse Person of the Year award. One of the bigger awards is the PATH Intl. President’s Award for Brown’s and Karen Bocksel’s work in creating a training video for PATH volunteers and future PATH certifications. Brown’s passion for her work clearly shows!

Soaring Through the Air

Professional show jumping rider Debbie Stephens stays busy on a regular basis. Stephens competes on the busy A-rated hunter/jumper circuit, traveling all over the world representing the U.S. team. She runs and trains out of her Centennial Equestrain Farm, Inc. in Palmetto, FL. Her husband, Steve Stephens, is an acclaimed and highly-sought after Olympic course designer.

But Stephens holds a coveted title: she and her Thoroughbred, Rocky Raccoon, claim the outdoor Ladies’ High Jump record in the United States. They successfully cleared a 7’8” solid wall at the 1983 Kings’ Mills Charity Horse Show in Cincinnati, Ohio. No one has beaten this for 37 years!